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      The Short History of the Long Road

      Released May 15, 2020 1 hr. 30 min. Drama List
      89% 35 Reviews Tomatometer 82% 50+ Ratings Audience Score A teenager has to confront the reality of life on the road after tragedy strikes. Read More Read Less Watch on Peacock Stream Now

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      The Short History of the Long Road

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      The Short History of the Long Road

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      Critics Consensus

      A potential breakout vehicle for its writer-director as well as its star, The Short History of the Long Road finds fresh byways along its well-traveled path.

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      Audience Reviews

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      Sal D Surprise gem of a movie. Sabrina Carpenters' nuanced performance is special….script and production delivers an emotional story without being manipulative or going over the top. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/26/24 Full Review StephenPaul C The greatest 1.5 hours ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/24/23 Full Review Audience Member It’s a long road ahead for everyone especially the road to life This is a coming of age tale that rings so much reality Former Disney Channel star Sabrina Carpenter’s first feature film has her embark on an existential journey After their house goes up for foreclosure Nola and her father Clint decide to pack up their lives and head out in their van in search of something better They’re practically homeless and penny less so they make stops and do small jobs whenever they can Tragedy then strikes and Nola ends up on her own When she arrives in New Mexico she befriends an auto mechanic Miguel played by Danny Trejo, aside from sticking around he takes her under his wing turning out to be a worthy assistant Nola then finds she’s not completely alone as she also befriends a girl named Blue who always stands on the street corner to escape her abusive home life This is another example of expert indie filmmaking; soothing music, gorgeous cinematography, lovely backgrounds, and sharp acting Sabrina Carpenter’s performance is her most grown up to date and is a spectacular tour de force, she’s a young daughterless wanderer hoping to survive in a giant world by herself and by harnessing the techniques her father taught her She even tracks down her long lost mother and why she wasn’t around The movie also has a universal theme that we can never stay in one place too long and that we can always keep going until we find what we are looking for We always have our biological family but also a logical one too For Nola she’s always moving from place to place trying to find a deeper meaning Director Ani-Simon Kennedy successfully tells a story about a certain culture of people that’s not too far off, many individuals want to live this kind of life away from the more distracting aspects of life and there’s nothing wrong with that Sometimes a trip down the road is exactly what we need in order to fully understand what’s next This is officially one of my fav independent pictures featuring one of my favorite actresses today Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/22/23 Full Review Michael M A Movie about Growth & Independence on the long road. Sabrina Carpenter is absolutely phenomenal in this and carrys the movie effortlessly! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/18/22 Full Review Audience Member I think The Short History of the Long Road deserved to be a little better than it actually was, but that's not to say it wasn't pretty good. It has a great story with plenty of potentially emotional drama, but the problem is that most of its emotions are a little too muted to be felt second hand. This does in a way make it feel very real, but it also does shave off some of its effectiveness as a work of fiction. It's definitely enjoyable and left me thinking a bit on the idea of freedom and how real capital L life fits into being a truly free person. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review Audience Member Great inspiring, beautiful shot hidden gem. Worth watching for sure. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

      Cast & Crew

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      The Short History of the Long Road

      The Short History of the Long Road (2019) The Short History of the Long Road (2019) The Short History of the Long Road (2019) The Short History of the Long Road (2019) View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (35) Critics Reviews
      Richard Roeper Chicago Sun-Times Lyrical and melancholy and visually stunning... Rated: 3/4 Sep 9, 2020 Full Review Monica Castillo RogerEbert.com Between Simon-Kennedy's writing and Carpenter's performance, Nola makes for a compelling character, gently pushing the story along at her own steady pace. Rated: 3/4 Jun 16, 2020 Full Review G. Allen Johnson San Francisco Chronicle Even though the movie's engine sputters at the end, it's beautifully shot, the actors are fun to watch, and the story is decent in fits and starts. Rated: 2.5/4 Jun 13, 2020 Full Review Ann Lee Radio Times When The Short History of the Long Road arrives at its final destination with a message about finding your own path, it sadly fails to land much of an emotional punch. Rated: 2/5 Aug 26, 2021 Full Review Nicole Ackman Next Best Picture It features a strong leading performance from Sabrina Carpenter and beautiful cinematography of the western landscape. Rated: 7/10 Feb 1, 2021 Full Review Charles Koplinski Reel Talk with Chuck and Pam There's an incredible authenticity and intimacy conveyed within this film as Carpenter's "Nora" looks for answers and relies on her unique upbringing. Rated: 3.5/4.0 Nov 27, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis A teenager has to confront the reality of life on the road after tragedy strikes.
      Director
      Ani Simon-Kennedy
      Executive Producer
      Fred Bernstein, Dave Conlon, Byron Hsu, Shaohua Huang
      Screenwriter
      Ani Simon-Kennedy
      Distributor
      FilmRise
      Production Co
      Astute Films, Relic Pictures, Hua Wen Movie Group
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      May 15, 2020, Limited
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Jun 10, 2020
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